My Great Yard Sale Find!!

[JohnnyPhantom]

For a while, I wasn't collecting TG16/PCE stuff, I had some in the past but didn't use it much so sold it all (was about 20-30 games, 2 TurboExpress systems, and a Turbo Duo) Big regrets selling it, and I did miss it in the back of my head. I sold it because I was in the middle of moving and trying to raise money and clear clutter. Now time has passed and I'm in my house with my wife now and it's all finally settling down (the move ended up being a huge headache with contractors screwing me over and lawyers and goodies like that). Anyway, yesterday after some yard sale hopping just looking for random things I have an interest in, I came across this, and I picked it up, I didn't even care it it worked or not, for that price I had to have it. I even talked the seller down to $20. I got it home, the screen lights up, and that seems to be all it does. I did get a TurboExpress and same behavior, lights up, no picture. So I'll recap it. It's also rekindled my love for the PCE/TG16 and starting the collecting back up, just picked up a DUO-R (non working) off eBay last night, hope I can fix that as well.

Glad to see there are still some bargains out there, just far and few between.

[NightWolve]

I even talked the seller down to $20.

Ah, a broken Turbo Express for $25! Yeah, you got a 9X% chance to fix it yourself with a full capacitor replacement job! That's the same state mine was in after 5 years of storage and trying to turn it on back in 2012 I believe (it cost me $11 in SMD caps from Digikey).

I'd go the distance here, find/buy HQ Panasonic low-ESR capacitors, pay a little extra for more lasting power since you got a broken unit so cheap. Steve knows how to play with tantalum caps at the right spots to eliminate hum, but I don't trust that or novices (us regular folk moonlighting as EEs, don't try stepping in Steve/Voultar's lane) playing around, just replace electrolytic with electrolytic to play it safe.

[JohnnyPhantom]

I replaced all the caps with a kit from Console 5, I tried doing the SMD, but couldn't without a rework station :/ so I used my iron and then installed the taller passthrough capacitors with legs. It works great now. Not the prettiest solder job in the world. There was some built up gunk and such, I cleaned all I could with what tools I had and was able to do the recap. System works! That's what counts.

[BigusSchmuck]

That is really an awesome find. Even better you got it working now.